Communications Blog

2/3 Week in Review

The Washington State Democrats are off to an extraordinary start in 2018. Nine months before this November’s elections, we are throttling up our organizing program big time.

Last month alone, we trained 1,034 new volunteer leaders in our Organizing Academies around the state. We also trained 51 new canvass hosts in January to lead on-the-ground grassroots organizing efforts in their communities. Those 51 people join the 198 volunteers who have already been hosting canvasses. In just the past two weeks, we’ve knocked on 3,823 doors, with 2,863 of those doors located in the 5th and 8th Congressional Districts, where we intend to defeat Cathy McMorris Rodgers and Dino Rossi.

We are in uncharted territory. Our field program’s January numbers represent a drastic increase from past years when voter contact efforts didn’t begin until later in the year. You can get involved by joining a Canvass near you or attending an Organizing Academy. Check here to find events near you!

To quote Washington State Democrats Chair Tina Podlodowski: “Republicans like Paul Ryan are going to dump millions of dollars into Washington State to support Trump apologists like Cathy McMorris Rodgers and Dino Rossi. The way Democrats are going to win is by outorganizing them -- and we’re off to an unprecedented start.”

Right-Wing Group Allied with Koch Brothers Endorses Rossi

Dino Rossi, the three-time statewide loser and Republican candidate to replace the retiring Dave Reichert in the 8th Congressional District, has been endorsed by the Club for Growth.

Here are some of the extreme policies the Club for Growth advocates:

Eliminate the U.S. Department of Education

Repeal the Affordable Care Act

Gut vital programs like Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid

Slash environmental protections

The Club is entirely out of line with the values of people in the 8th CD, and now they’re endorsing Rossi because they know they can count on him to push their extreme right-wing agenda in Congress.

We can’t let that happen. Sign up here to volunteer. Or make a contribution to help us hire more organizers to ensure that Dino Rossi and other Washington State Republicans who share the Club for Growth’s values get nowhere near Congress.

Reproductive Parity Act Passes WA Senate

This week, the Reproductive Parity Act passed the state Senate after waiting six years. This is a huge step toward ensuring women’s access to reproductive health care in Washington State.

First introduced in 2012, the Reproductive Parity Act requires that health insurance plans that cover maternity care also cover reproductive care, including abortion and all FDA-approved contraception. The bill will help to ensure that women are able to make the reproductive decisions that are best for them and their families.

On Tuesday night, Donald Trump managed to pass the lowest of bars by reading his State of the Union address from a teleprompter. The content of the speech, however, was what we’ve come to expect from him: divisiveness, fear mongering, and lies.

Trump did manage to make life easier for his extremely wealthy donors by passing the Trump Tax plan and securing enormous tax cuts for corporations and the super wealthy, after multiple attempts to harm the middle class and take health care away away from tens of millions of Americans.

Just yesterday, Trump authorized the release of a partisan memo from House Intelligence Committee Republicans. The memo was quickly revealed to be nothing more than a sloppy attempt to discredit the FBI’s investigation of the Trump campaign’s ties to Russia. Just moments after the memo was released, it was condemned as a false narrative by those who have experience with and an understanding of FISA warrants, including Republican Mike Rogers, former chair of the House Intelligence Committee.

Yesterday’s memo release was nothing more than a partisan political ploy. And the Republicans who supported the release -- Like Cathy McMorris Rodgers and Dan Newhouse -- are more concerned with protecting Trump from the investigation into his campaign’s ties with Russia than they are in protecting our country.

What is especially concerning is that Trump released the Nunes memo in order to undermine the Russia investigation, and he may still try to use it as justification for firing Special Counsel Robert Mueller or Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein.

As we’ve mentioned in the past, groups across the country have organized protests in advance should Trump try to circumvent justice by firing Mueller or Rosenstein.

2018 Crab Feed

Our 2018 Crab Feed in Lakewood is just over three weeks away! Purchase your tickets now to join us for a locally sourced seafood buffet and discussion with Democratic elected officials on Sunday, February 25th. And we have a vegetarian option as well!

Looking for the perfect Valentine’s Day or Galentine’s Day gift for that special Democrat in your life? We’ve got you covered.

Head over to our online store and check out our supply of Valentine’s Day themed Democratic merchandise! We have t-shirts, mugs, and stickers available. Make sure to place your order by Wednesday, February 7th, to receive your gear before Valentine’s Day!

Rise & Organize

If you’re not already a member of our monthly low-dollar donor program, you can join here. A few dollars a month will help us continue to hold Organizing Academies, train volunteers, and mobilize to defeat Republicans like Cathy McMorris Rodgers and Dino Rossi. Plus you'll get some new Rise & Organize gear when you sign up!